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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wake — a trail
  4. sharp — clever
  5. craft — a skill
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — a safe
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. date — the fruit
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rash — a series
  20. craft — boats
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com